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32nd Imperial Army
The 32nd Imperial Army was a large formation of Imperial Japanese Army divisions during the final stages of the Second world war based on the island of Okinawa. The commanding officers of the 32nd Army were Lieutenant General Masa Watanabe from 22 March 1944 to 8 August 1944 and Lieutanant General Mitsuru Ushjima until 22 June 1945, when he was killed in action. The nickname of the army was Tama-Butai. History The Army was formed on the 22nd of March 1944 as a last desperate effort by the Empire of Japan to try to eniolate the expected American landings on the island of Okinawa. The 32nd Army consisted of 77,000 men (39,000 infantry in 31 Battalions and 38,000 men in tank, artilery and transport units.) plus about 10,000 men of the Okinawa Naval Base Force and 42,000 Okinawan conscripts. Even with the massive numbers of troops stationed on Okinawa the Japanese high command had problems. Many soldiers were poorly trained and poorly armed reservists, farmers, students and members of the Japanese home guard militia. Divisions and Components 9th Imperial Japanese Army Infantry division The 9th Infantry Division was formed in 1889, as a reserve divisin because of the fighting caused by the first Sino-Japanese war. During the Russo-Japanese war of 1905 the division took part in one of the most important battles in the entire war, the Siege of Port Arthur. After the war the division was stationed in Korea and performed garrison duty. In January 1932 the division participated in the first Shandong intervention and from 1935 on it was stationed in Manchuria and was involved in the Battle of Shanghai. From 1940-1943 the division was assigned again to garrison duty in Manchukuo and was a part of the Kwatung army. After 1943 it was a part of the 32nd Army and was placed in Okinawa, where it formed the Taiwan garrison. : Order of Battle: *6th Infantry Regiment *7th Infantry Regiment *19th Infantry Regiment *35th Infantry Regiment 24th Imperial Japenese Mountain division : '''The 24th Imperial Mountain division was formed in Harbin, Manchukuo on the 6 October 1939 as a part of the Manchukuo territorial defence under the command of the 5th Imperial Army or otherwise known as the Kwatung army. In early 1944 the Mountain division was withdrawn to Japan and then to Okinawa as a part of the Okinanawa protecture as a part of the last Japanese defence before the defence to the Home Island defence. : '''Order of Battle: *24th Infantry Brigade **22th Infantry Regiment **32th Infantry Regiment **89th Infantry Regiment *24th Security Regiment *42nd Field Artilery Regiment *24th Construction Regiment *24th Transport Regiment 28th Infantry Division : '''The division was formed in July 1940 as part of the Japanese Kwatung army stationed in Manchukuo. It was assigned the task of the defence of the capital of Manchukuo, Shinkyo. As the war in the Pacific progressed many units of the division were sent doun south, most famously the 36th Infantry Regiment was assighed to Saipan, where it suffered heavy losses. In June 1945 the remnants of the battered division were assigned to the 32nd Army on Okinawa. In the battle of Okinawa the division was one of the main combatants against the American invaders and suffered heavy losses. The army division ceased to exist after the Battle of Okinawa. : '''Order of Battle: * 28th Infantry Brigade ** 3rd Infantry Regiment ** 30th Infantry Regiment ** 36th Infantry Regiment * 28th Mountain Artilery Regiment * 28th Cavalry Regiment * 28th Engineering Regiment * 28th Transport Regiment 62nd Infantry Division : '''The 62nd Imperial Japanese Army Division was formed in November 1940 as part of the growing Kwatung army. The division consisted out of Chinese,Korean and Japanese volunteers and was assigned garrison duty in Manchukuo. In March 1944 the division was reassigned to Okinawa and became part of the Okinawa protecture force, the last defenders, before the Home Islands would be invaded. : '''Order of Battle: * 63rd Infantry Brigade * 64th Infantry Brigade : : : Category:Divisions Category:Regiments